Core Values

From
an initial meeting in May 2007, regular gatherings featuring inclusive
community group processes and rotating facilitation have been held to
formulate principles for the project and our vision:

“We
are individuals united to create ecologically sustainable and conscious communities, guided by
grace, that are havens liberating and nurturing the potential of all
through social equity, integrity, courage, transformative growth,
collaborative enterprises, celebration and care of the planet.”

Our
primary current project is to model holistically sustaining community, with a focus
on localisation and engagement with the wider community, sustainable land and resource
management, teaching and modeling sustainable agriculture and
enterprises, simple and shared living that minimises resource use and consciousness building.
Perceiving there to be four interdependent components to our vision of
an ecologically sustainable future, that is spiritual, social, economic
and environmental, we spent time establishing common principles for
each area and derive from these detailed agreements, structures and
form.

These values guide how our Association manages its internal
affairs and how we engage in our mission to create a more sustainable
future for ourselves and this earth.

Association Mission Statement

Facilitating the creation of life-sustaining communities through:

Collaborative
partnerships;

Sharing information and resources; and

Providing a demonstration site

Core Common Values

1. Philosophy / Common spirit

We actively work toward creating a sustainable future for the earth and humanity

We value every soul and recognize the divinity in humanity

We support the three Permaculture ethics

We honour and steward the earth

We are engaged with the world, actively working in service to humanity

We work toward mutual support and co-operation, compassion, openness and loving kindness

We support diversity, equality and creativity

2. Community Building / Personal Development

We share a commitment to openness, making time, transparency, and engaging in processes of dialogue

We engage in celebration and play and value feeding the “inner glow”

We share a commitment to inner development, taking personal responsibility

We support each other, as in the Barn-raising principle

We share our learnings with the whole community

Decision-making is an inclusive, collaborative process, ensuring all are heard

We recognise the value in honouring the view of the dissenter

We make a commitment to honour the broader needs/goals of the community, the group and each member

Issues are solution oriented, participants agree to take responsibility for what they ‘put on the table’

Supporting the Sunshine Coast Community

Statistics
have shown that the Sunshine Coast has become one of Australia’s least
affordable places to live, with rental availability at record lows and
housing prices high relative to incomes. At the same time, we have a
movement toward sustainability and relocalising our economies.

Our projects are aimed to meet the needs of the local and national community in terms of: